What Are You Doing?

[ATC by SkippyMom]

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So what are everyone's plans for Valentine's Day?

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Pooldad and I don't celebrate it, as we figure that we have 364 other days in which to tell eachother how much we love one another and we do a lot of fun [and sometimes romantic] "couple stuff" that we don't really need a holiday to express it. We also don't like how it seems to force people to have a significant other/date or they feel bad if they don't.

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Cynical aren't we?

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I am kidding [about the cynicism - the rest is true!] but we do have a special night for the kids. For as long as I can remember we have had the infamous "Red Dinner" - which consists of Spaghetti with Marinara sauce, salad with lettuce, red bell peppers, tomatoes and Thousand Island Dressing [well, it is almost a red dressing], garlic bread [which isn't red] and for Dessert? The yummy-licious Strawberry Pie with real whipped cream. We have, in the past, dyed their milk red [and green on St. Patricks Day :D] but they don't pander to that anymore and won't let us [don't you hate when they grow up? sigh]. And strawberry milk? No, not with spaghetti, tyvm.

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So does anyone else have a tradition or something they like to do on Valentine's Day? I would love to hear all about it.

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and if anyone rats me out for spelling "dyed"as "died" before I could edit it...just remember, I know where you blog. heehee

Haircuts and Bananas

Everyone [but Momma] had their hair cut this weekend. Usually a yawn fest, but one was pretty dramatic so I thought I would put it up for posterity.

This is our oldest.

Before:

During:

12" of Love

After:
She remarked that she can't believe how light her head is now that it is all gone.
It is an adorable haircut and the first time she has had bangs since third grade!

And finally: I posted this because when I opened our mailbox today I had to laugh out loud [see the postage? $1.51 from Maine!] I was sent a plastic banana in the mail, naked. No box, nothing. I know some of the other swappers sent things like a jar of peanut butter and a pair of socks.

I sent a $1 fake silver tray. The guys at the post office loved it!

Just so you don't think I am cheap - we had to purchase something at the $1 store and try to get the post office to mail it. It wasn't supposed to be valuable in case it was "lost"/stolen, hence I am now the proud owner of a plastic banana.
Spot doesn't seem real thrilled with it tho'.

Our Friend Sue

For a little while in 2006 our family lived temporarily in an apartment as we waited for our current home. While living in the complex we met the sweetest older woman named Sue. She is a retiree who was also living in the apartments while her home was being repaired due to fire.

Sue and our youngest became fast friends. The youngest loved to help her, hang out with her, run errands with her, walk her dog, etc. By extension we all came to love and care about Sue. She is like an extra grandma to all of us.

Fast forward to the present. We have been in our home for about two years now - Sue has been back at her refurbished home almost as long. In the process of moving I had misplaced her house address and cellphone number. One day a few weeks ago the youngest stumbled upon it! YAY! We quickly called Sue. I was saddened by what she had to say.

I rang her up and it was pretty bad. The economy has hit Sue hard. Since she is retired and living on a fixed income she has to be very frugal [and she is!] In addition she has medical issues that require medication and doctors' visits. While speaking with her I could tell she didn't want to bother me with the details or tales of woe. I am, by nature, not nosey and would really like to have happy conversations as a rule, but I could really sense that things were tough. It was hard to get her to tell me exactly what was going on, but she finally told me the whole situation.

[At this point I need to add that Sue has three grown children. None of them live at home and all are in their late 20's and early 30's with gainful employment. The married, eldest has one child.]

It seems that although her Social Security/pension stays the same, the cost of food, medication and gas prices [this past year $4.50/gal~] have combined to seriously effect Sue's quality of life, as in, I discovered she didn't have any food in the house and was trying to figure which medications to "afford" until her next retirement check came. It was the 21st of the month and that check was 10 days away.

I asked where were the kids, why weren't they helping? Well, typical Sue, she is a protective Momma and it was the usual "Oh, they are so busy and with the holidays they really don't have anything to spare." Blah, blah, blah. Please don't misunderstand me, I do respect her love for her kids but I know this gang and they constantly take advantage of Sue and I could not believe they were blind to the fact that their mother didn't have anything to eat and couldn't afford her meds. I am sure if I was Sue I wouldn't want to bother my kids either, but they all live local - so, -what? They couldn't check in once and a while and get an update on their own Mother? Believe me, she is a good Mom - there aren't issues with family dynamics where they have a valid reason not to be in contact or help care for her. I find it strangely sad that after years of caring and nuturing her children they don't have the decency [maturity? common sense?] that maybe Sue needs help and shouldn't have to ask for it. [I was going to throw in the word "unselfishness" but I didn't think it was a word and I couldn't think of another to use.]

I guess I shouldn't be so hard on the kids, Sue isn't and they are her kids, but when her son brags about his new marble floors and his Mom can't afford blood pressure meds or a can of soup, I get cranky. Is that okay? Or maybe I am just mad at the economy and I am sad for people like Sue, who has worked her whole life and cannot afford basic needs on her pension and Social Security. It is wrong.

But I guess this is happening everywhere, right?

We did bring Sue groceries to last a few weeks [I have never seen anyone cry over a sweet potato] and I hooked her up with a service in our county that will help her better afford her meds [YAY! Loudoun County], but I still wonder.

How many other Sues are out there?

This'll Wake You Up...

Ever had a dream where you were startled out a deep sleep by what you were dreaming?

There is no analyzing the following dream that woke me up instantly the other morning.

In my dream I am sitting in my OB/GYN's office, perusing a magazine. I suppose I was waiting on my appointment?

The door to the office opens and I look up to see a lovely woman with impeccable make- up, stunning hair, beautifully dressed walking in.

In my dream I found myself thinking:

"Wow, I bet she has fallopian tubes that would knock your socks off."

Don't judge.

I have no idea.

Welcome to Our Hangover!

Yeah. About that.

Champagne is so yummy. It is especially yummy after a very sweet, long anticipated victory.

All I know today is that I am a very thankful stay at home Mom.

[heavy emphasis on the stay at home!]

Pooldad had to go to work. giggle

We Won! We Won! We Won!

WOOT! This would take too long to explain the legalities or the length of time it took us to have this rectified but here are a few salient facts:

• Pooldad has two children from his first marriage. We have not seen them in 11 years. Still, Pooldad is diligent in paying his child support. [Automatic payments every two weeks for 15 years]
• Pooldad's eldest child, his daughter, turned 18 in July 2007. <--note the year!
• Child support should have ceased to have been paid to the mother, for the daughter, in July 2007. [She graduated high school in June 2007]
• We have been paying child support for an adult since July 2007. 18 extra months.
• The overage has amounted to $14,516.00 we have overpaid since 2007.
• The Commonwealth of VA would not fix this, no matter how hard we tried, until today.
• Today a Loudon County judge handed Pooldad's ex-wife her head in a hand basket for lying and accepting $14,516.00 in overage payments. And LYING. [I know, I know I said lying twice. I would have to say it a bazillion times to make you understand how much she lies.]
• The judge also reduced Pooldad's child support obligation by $420.00 per month [he has a son that will turn 18 in September 2009.] We are obligated for his support until then.
• The ex wife was at the court hearing via phone conference. The best part? She almost was arrested VIA phone conference for CONTEMPT OF COURT. The judge informed her that if she "told one more egregious lie a NC deputy would be on her doorstep to arrest within minutes." heehee

I can't say I am enthralled with Department of Child Support Enforcement of VA, nor of the way this was all handled - we will not be receiving any of the overage back, nor will we be credited [in essence we basically paid for a 2 year Associate's Degree at a Community College for the child, but whatever!]

The ex was called on the carpet. We are able to recoup almost an extra $500 per month [in Pooldad's paycheck] and come September 2009? We never, ever have to deal with her again.

15 years is a long time for an ex to hold a grudge against a man that she walked out on [she is on her 5th husband [prospective] btw....her second husband since leaving Pooldad] She was SERVED royal in court today. And she deserved it.

I am ready for this all to be over. We love those kids, we have supported them in every way we know how- we miss them, but if not for the interference of the ex - well...divorce should never be this stupid.

Be happy today. It took almost two years and a boatload of frustration, but we won. Finally.

I Think They Mated

Found these today:

....and there is another bottle in our bathroom.

This is what happens when Mom is laid up for a period of time and the family graciously does the shopping and house cleaning. hee

Refill container anyone?